Expansible and contractible structure



J. A. WElS.

EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTEBLE STRUETURE APPL !CATION FILED JULY 15, 1M9.

.Patentfid Oct. 4, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. A; WEIS. 1

EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I5; 1919. 1,392, 9, Patented 001;. 4, 1921. v I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S I E rzz g Z44. ALHUNAU lbb I. A. WEIS'. EXPANSIBLE ANDCONTRACTIBLE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 15,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented 'Oct. 4, 1921.

UNITED STATES JOHN A. WEIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Application filed July 15, 1919. Serial No. 310,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. WEIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Expansible and Contractible Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to expansible and contractible structures and as illustrated and described, is made to apply to airplane flying machines and more particularly to the wings or planes thereof, which in accordance with the invention are so constructed as to be extensible for position for use and eontractible or reduced in span to enable the machine to be stored with convenience and to make it possible to cause the machine to travel along ordinary roads either by being towed or under its own power; also as will be apparent, when the invention is applied to hydroplanes, the travel of the apparatus upon the water is facilitated due to the contracted position of the wings, and in such instances, the oscillation of the structure and the resistance to the motion of the water are materially reduced. I am aware that heretofore, it has been proposed to so construct the planes or wings of airplane flying machines as to swing the same bodily from their operatlve positions transversely of the fuselageor body of the apparatus to position substanti ally parallel therewith, but all such structures, so far as I am aware, have been rigidly made so that the planes or wings are in their extended condition at all times,

whether in place for use or otherwise. In carrying out my present invention however, the planes are so constructed that the spar members can be reduced in length when it is desired to contract the planes without dis placing or dismounting the ribs which extend longitudinally of the machine and which as is usual are carried by and employed to space the spars. In this construction also, the wings or planes are preferably made in sections, each of which is suitably covered with a fabric to form the surface of the planes, while the spars themselves are made of pivoted links somewhat similar in construction to the well-known lazy tongs, consisting of pairs of parallel links spaced from one another and suitably pivoted together as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing:

. Figure l is a partial front elevation show- 1ng my invention as applied to an airplane.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the same.

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation illustrating the planes in a contracted position.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan illustrating the construction of the extensible and contractible wing forming part of the airplane.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross section illustrating the manner in which the fabric covering is applied to the members of the frame showing a continuous fabric which forms loops or folds when the plane is contracted.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating adjacent ends of the inner links of the spar showing the stop members for limiting the movement and bracing the parts, and

Fig. 7 is a cross section illustrating the manner in which the covering may be applied to the sections of the wing so as to have the ends of the covering in each section abut the ends of the covering in the next adjacent sections.

As hereinbefore stated, this invention relates to an expansible and contractible structure and as shown and described, the same is made applicable to an airplane, although the invention is manifestly not so limited. Consequently in the drawing, 10 indicates the fuselage or body structure of an airplane which is fitted with the usual motor 11, propeller 12, a running gear 13 and a rudder 14 together with the planes or wings 15, 16, the drawing illustrating a biplane construction. These parts however with the exception of the wings are constructed as is common in all aircraft and with the exception of the construction of the planes or wings, none of the members named form any part of this invention, which is confined exclusively to the construction of the planes or wings.

In carrying out this invention, the plane or wing of the aircraft is made expansible and contractible and as hereinbefore intimated, in order to accomplish this purpose, I employ a structure similar to the wellknown lazy tongs and composed of series of links suitably spaced and connected to one another, together with means for operating the same to both expand and contract the parts of the plane. As illustrated in the drawing, each plane consists of,a pair of spars as is customary, and these spars are each composed of a series of links connected in the manner of lazy tongs. Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 4, the links in one pair forming part of the forward spar of one of the planes are indicated at 17 and 18 respectively. In approximately their central positions, these links 17 and 18 are pivotally connected in spaced positions by a bolt 19 and a spacer sleeve 20 or otherwise. The next succeeding pair of links in this forward spar are indicated at 21 and 22 respectively. These, in a similar manner, are also connected in their approximately central positions by a bolt and spacer sleeve 23 and the ends of these pairs of links are connected in a manner hereinafter described.

In the corresponding rearward spar, there are links 24 and 25 corresponding to the links 17 and 18, and these links 24 and 25 are also connected in their approximately central positions by a bolt 26 and spacer sleeve 27. The next forward pair of links in the rearward spar are indicated at 28 and 29 and are similarly connected in ap proximately their central positions by a bolt and spacer sleeve 30. The pairs and sets of links hereinbefore described form sections of the plane which are indicated at a and 7) respectively. Also as shown, the plane consists of other additional sections indicated at 0, (Z and e. In the section 0, the pair of links in the forward spar are inclicated at 31 and 32 and are connected by a bolt and spacer sleeve 33. In this section the links in the rearward spar are indicated at 34 and 35 and are pivotally connected by a bolt and spacer sleeve 36. Similarly, the links in the section cl in the forward spar are indicated at 37 and 38, and are pivotally connected by a bolt and spacer sleeve 39, while the links in the rearward spar in this section are indicated at 40 and 41 and are pivotally connected by a bolt and spacer sleeve 42. In the outer section 0, there are links 43 and 44 pivotally connected at corresponding ends as indicated at 45 in the forward spar, while in the rearward spar, there are links 46 and 47 pivotally connected at their forward ends as indicated at 48.

The adjacent ends of the links 18 and 22 are pivotally connected as indicated at 49. A bar 50 extends between the corresponding ends of the links 17 and 21 and the links 24 and 28 and pivotally connects these ends of the links 17 and 21 and the ends of the links 24 and 28 to one another as indicated respectively at the pivotal points 51 and 52, this bar 50 forming one of the ribs of the plane. The link 25 is also pivotally connected to the link 29 as indicated at 53, and when in the straight line or extended position is in alinement with the rib 50 and the pivotal point 49. The links 17 and 24 are spaced by the rib 50 and a corresponding rib at the opposite end to be hereinafter described and may be braced by suitable tension cords or ropes 54 or otherwise. A bar 55 also acting as a rib extends between the adjacent ends of the links 21 and 31 and the links 28 and 38 and pivotally connects these links to one another. Also the link 22 is pivotally connected to a link 32 as indicated at 58 and the link 29 to the link 35 as indicated at 59, and when the links are in their extended or right line position, the pivotal points 58 and 59 are in alinement with the rib 55. The members forming the section b of the plane may be braced by suitable tie cords 58.

60 represents the bar or rib connecting the links forming the sections 0 and cl. At one end this rib 60 pivotally connects the adjacent ends of the links 31 and 37 while at the opposite end it pivotally connects the adjacent end of the links 34 and 40. In these sections also, the link 32 is pivotally connected to the link 38 as indicated at- 63 and the link 35 to the link 41 as indicated at 64 and when the links forming the spar are in their extended or straight line position, the pivotal points 63 and 64 are in alinement with the rib 60. The parts formingthe section 0 may be braced by suitable tie cords 63' or otherwise. The link 37 is pivotally connected to one of the links 43 by one end of a rib 65 as indicated at 66, while the other end of this rib 65 pivotally connects the adjacent ends of the links 40 and 46. The link 38 is pivotally connected to the link 44 as indicated at 68 and the link 41 to the link 47 as indicated at 69, the pivotal points 68 and 69 being in alinement with the rib 65 when the links are in their extended or right line positions. A bar also forming a rib indicated at 70 extends between the other ends of the links 43 and 46 and may be in alinement with or made integral with the parts forming the pivotal connections 45 and 48.

Associated with the forward or front members of the pairs of links forming the forward spar, I also employ a series of links indicated at 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75. The link 71 is pivotally connected to the link 74 as indicated at 76 in a point which corresponds to the pivotal point 49. The link 72 is pivotally connected to the link 73 as indicated at 77 in a point which corresponds to the pivotal, point 58, the link at the 0pposite end is pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the link 74 as indicated at 78 in a point which corresponds in position to the pivotal point 63 and the opposite end of the link 74 is pivotally connected to the link as indicated at 79, the pivotal point 79 corresponding in position to the pivotal point 68. Furthermore, this link 75 may be a curved link and at i s opposite end united or pivotally connected to the link 44 in the pivotal point 45.

In order to provide for adjustable ailerons, I may also employ a series of links associated with the outer members of the links forming the rearward spar. These consist of a link 80 which in a suitable position is linked as indicated at 81 to the link 35 and at one end as indicated at 82 is pivotally connected to the adjacent end of another link 83, the pivotal point 82 being in alinement with the pivotal point 64 when the links are in their extended or straight line positions. This link 83 is linked to the link 41 as indicated at 84 and at its opposite end the link 83 is pivotally connected as indicated at 85 to the adjacent end of a link 86, the pivotal point 85 being in alinement with the pivotal point 69, and the link 86 is linked to the llIlk 64 as indicated at 87. Also associated with the members of the rearward spar, I may provide brackets 25', 29 and 34 which are suitably connected in fixed positions to the links 25, 29 and 34 respectively in order that to these brackets suitable stationary ailerons may be secured, Then too in the parts of the forward spar, I may employ brackets 71', 72', 73, and 74' in order to properly space and connect the links between which these brackets extend.

At the inward end of the plane there is employed a rib 88 extending between and on which the corresponding ends of the links 17 and 24 are pivotally connected as indicated at 89 and 90. Also at this end of the plane, I may employ a spacer 91 extending between and pivotally connected to the correspond ing ends of the links 18 and 71. The ends of the links 18 and 71 as connected by the spacer 91 as well as the corresponding end of the link 25 are pivotally connected in a suitable position in the frame of the apparatus. The corresponding ends of the links 17 and 24 may each be provided with a block 93 adapted'to slide on an upright rod 92 provided for this purpose, and suitably connected to the frame of the machine so that this end of the links 17 and 24 may be raised and lowered in extending and contracting the skeleton forming the frame of the plane. The blocks 93 as will be understood may be locked in suitable position when the spars are distended by latch plates 95 or otherwise to secure the planes in their proper position for use.

In the foregoing description, I have referred merely to a single plane so far as the skeleton thereof is concerned. It will be understood, however, that these planes may be employed in multiple or in any desired number to provide the planes required in any instance.

In the operation of my plane or wing structure as hereinbefore described, it will now be apparent that in the extended position, the links of the several pairs are in substantially straight lines and that when contracted, these pairs of links, for example turn on their central pivotal points so that the ends of the links 17 and 24 and 21 and 28 connected by the rib 50 will rise, while the opposite ends of the links 17 and 24 will be lowered, and the ends of the links 18 and 22 connected by the pivotal point 49 as well as the ends of the links 25 and 29 connected by the pivotal point 53 will be lower ed. Similarly the ends of the links 21 and 28 connected by the rib 55 to the adjacent ends of the links 31 and 34 will be lowered, and the ends of the links 22 and 32 pivotally connected by the pivotal point 58 as well as the ends of the links 29 and 35 connected by the pivotal point 59 will be raised and so on through the entire structure of the plane.

In order to prevent the series of pairs of links from turning beyond the straight line position and to maintain them in this straight line position, I prefer to employ a series of stops. It will be noted that the ends of the links 21 and 28 are pivot-ed between the adjacent ends of the links 17 and 24 and 31 and 34, also that the ends of the links 37 and 40 are pivotally connected between the ends of the links 31 and 34 and 34 and 46. The stops to which reference has hereinbefore been made are employed on the various ends of these linked members. As shown in Fig. 4, stops 97 and 98 are employed on the right hand ends of the links 21 and 28 and extend over the adjacent portions of the links 17 and 24 so as to form these stops when the links are in a straight line position. Similarly, stops 99 and 100 are provided on the under side of the links 22 and 29 for a similar purpose. At the opposite ends of the links 21 and 28, the under sides thereof are provided with stops 101 and 102, while at this end of the links 22 and 29, the stops 103 and 104 are employed. Similar stops are employed in similar places throughout the entire structure for the purpose indicated.

The skeleton structure hereinbefore described is suitably covered with canvas or other similar material for the purpose of forming the plane as described. In the central sections, the canvas extends between the sides of the links 17 and 24 to approximately the points of the adjacent ends of the links 21 and 28 and the links 31 and 34 of the section 0 are similarly covered, while the canvas covering on the sections 5 and-d extends substantially through the entire length of th lines so as to make a substantially continuous joint between the canvas coverings of the various sections when the parts are in their extended positions. Similar canvas structure may be employed to cover the spaces extending between the links 18 and 71 and the links 22 and 72, the links 32 and 73 and the links 38 and 74. Also a suitable canvas aileron structure may be employed and suitably secured to the links 25, 29 and 34 being connected to the same and the respective brackets 25, 29 and 34. Furthermore, a suitable canvas structure. may be employed to cover the links and brackets forming the adjustable aileron construction comprising the links 80, 83 and 86, suitable mechanism being employed to control the position of this adjustable aileron which as will be understood, when the parts are in their right line positions, being pivotally connected, may be adjusted to position transversely of the plane. It will also be apparent that in covering the sections of the plane as hereinbefore described, there will be no laps or loops and consequent pockets for water or other material to accumulate when the planes are in their contracted positions.

It will be understood that the plane is in the manner of an ordinary lazy tongs, and the spar members made in accordance with my invention are more or less rigid in any of their contracted positions. Unlike an ordinary lazy tongs however, the spar members provided with the stops as hereinbefore described are not only prevented from moving farther than the straight line position, but when in the straight line position are held rigidly in place, which, as stated is due to the stops and which is quite contrary to the action of an ordinary lazy tongs. Furthermore, the stop members as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4; may be made so as to extend only over the adjacent edge of the next succeeding link or as shown in Fig. 6 may be extended sufficiently to reach over and engage the link in the next adjacent pair when the parts are in their right line positions.

It will also be understood that in addition to the horizontal brace or tie members 54 and the link as illustrated in Fig. 4, I may also employ vertical braces or stay members 5% and 55' extending between the extremities of the different sections as shown in Fig. 1, and these braces or stay members may be so arranged as to be taut only when the parts of the plane are in their extended or right line positions or by suitable mechanism which forms no part of my present invention, these braces or stay members may be made continuously taut, being suitably shortened when the planes are contracted and extended or lengthened when the planes are extended. In order also to obviate any air space between the links 17 and 18 and the links 24. and 25 of section a of any plane and also between the corresponding links of any other sections, this space may be filled by suitable felt or any other material attached in any desired manner to the link on either side of the space. I wish also to direct attention to the fact that while as herein shown and described, the inner mem bers of the section a as illustrated in Fig. 4 are made to slide'or move vertically on the rods 93, that the inner ends of the links 17 and 24: may be fixed in the frame of the machine and the corresponding ends of the links 18 and 25 may be mounted in blocks to slide in the rods. This of course would merely reverse the direction in which the parts of the several sections would turn in extending or contracting the parts of the plane and would in no wise depart from the nature of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an expansible and contractible structure, a plurality of sets of links associated in pairs adapted to be extended to a right line position for use, each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof and also pivotally connected at one end to the adjacent end of the next succeeding pair with each set of links being provided with means for giving the structure rigidity when in a straight line position.

2. In an expansible and contractible structure, a plurality of sets of links associated in pairs, the parts of each pair being spaced and each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof, with each link of each pair being connected at its end to the corresponding link of the next adjacent pair and being provided with means for limiting the extent of movement thereof and lending rigidity to the structure when in a straight line position.

3. In an expansible and contractible structure comprising a plurality of sets of links in pairs adapted to be extended to a right line position for use, the links of each pair being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof and the end of each link being pivotally connected to the end of the corresponding link in the next adjacent pair of links so as to be extended and contracted in the manner of a lazy tongs, and means for limiting the extent of the movement of the said links to the straight line position thereof.

41:. In an aircraft, spars each comprising a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs forming a section of the plane and adapted to move in vertical planes from a folded position to a straight line position for use, each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof and each link being also pivotally connected at one end to the adjacent end of the corresponding link in the next succeeding pair of links.

5. In an aircraft plane, spar members each comprising a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane, and each pair of links being spaced and pivotally connected in a position approximately at the center thereof with each link of each pair being also pivotally connected at the end thereof to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links.

6. In an aircraft plane, spar members each comprising a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming sections of the plane, each pair of links being spaced and pivotally connected at approximately the center thereof and each link of each pair of links being also pivotally connected at its end to the adjacent end of the corresponding links of the next succeeding pair of links so as to be extensible and contractible in the plane of lazy tongs, and means for limiting the extent of the movements of the links to the straight line position thereof.

7 In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, both of said spars being composed of links in spaced positions and pivatally connected approximately centrally thereof, and having the end of each link pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, and a series of links pivotally connected to each other and secured respectively to the forward links of the said forward spar for forming the skeleton of the forward edge of the plane.

8. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, both of said spars being composed of links in spaced positions and pivotally connected approximately centrally thereof, and having the end of each link pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, and series of links pivotally connected to each other and hinged to the rear set of links of the rearward spar for forming the skeleton of an adjustable aileron.

9. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, both of said spars being composed of links in spaced positions and pivotally connected approximately centrally thereof, and having the end of each link pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, a series of links pivotally connected to each other and secured re spectively to the forward links of the said forward spar for forming the skeleton of the forward edge of the plane, and series of links pivotally connected to each other and hinged to the rear set of links of the rearward spar for forming the skeleton of an adjustable aileron.

10. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, both of said spars being composed of links in spaced positions and pivotally connected approximately centrally thereof, and having the end of each link pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, a series of links pivotally connected to each other and secured respectively to the forward links of the said forward spar for forming the skeleton of the forward edge of the plane, and stop members for limiting the extent of the movement to the straight line positions thereof.

11. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, both of said Spars being composed of links in spaced positions and pivotally connected approximately centrally thereof, and having the end of each link pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, a series of links pivotally connected to each other and hinged to the rear set of links of the rearward spar for forming the skeleton of an adjustable aileron, and stop members for limiting the extent of the movement to the straight line positions thereof.

12. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, each of the said spars comprising a plurality of pairs of links, each pair of links being pivotally connected and spaced at approximately the central position thereof, and each pair being pivotally connected at the end thereof to the corresponding end of the next succeeding pair of links, and rib members extending between the pivotal points at the ends of the links forming the inner links of the forward spar and the inner links of the rearward spar.

13. In an aircraft plane, a forward spar, a rearward spar, each spar forming a series of links in pairs, each pair of links being pivotally connected and spaced at approximately the central position thereof with the end of each link pivotally connected to the end of the corresponding link in the next succeeding pair, the pairs of links being arranged in sets with each set forming a section of the plane, ribs connecting the pivotal connected ends of the inward links of each set, and a covering for each section of the plane.

14. In an aircraft plane, Spar members each comprising a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane, each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately at the center thereof, and also pivotally connected at the end thereof to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, and rib members connecting the ends of the inner links of each pair of each section which are adapted to swing together on their pivotal point in a direction opposite to that in which the outer links of the pair of links of the section swing.

15. In an aircraft plane, spar members each comprising a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane, each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position ap proximately at the center thereof, and also pivotally connected at the end thereof to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, rib mem bers connecting the ends of the inner links of each pair of each section which are adapted to swing together on their pivotal point in a direction opposite to that in which the outer links of the pair of links of the section swing, and diagonally placed stay members extending between the ends of the inner links of each pair forming a section.

16. In an aircraft plane, a plurality of planes each comprising a plurality of spar members and each spar member consisting of a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane and each pair of links being 'pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof, and also pivotally connected at the end to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, and strut members connected to and extending between the pivotal points of the several sections of each of said planes.

17. In an aircraft plane, a plurality of planes each comprising a plurality of spar members and each spar member consisting of a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane, and each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof, and also pivotally connected at the end to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, strut members connected to and extending between the pivotal points of the several sections of each of the said planes, and vertical diagonally disposed stay members extending between the ends of corresponding sections of the several plane 18. In an aircraft plane, a plurality of planes each comprising a plurality of spar members, and each spar member consisting of a plurality of links in pairs with corresponding pairs of links forming a section of the plane, and each pair of links being pivotally connected in a position approximately centrally thereof, and also pivotally connected at the end to the adjacent end of the corresponding link of the next succeeding pair of links, strut members connected to and extending between the pivotal points of the several Sections of each of said planes, vertical diagonally disposed stay members extending between the ends of corresponding sections of the several planes, and stay members horizontally disposed when the planes are in their extended positions and extending between the inner members of the pairs of links forming each section of the several planes.

Signed by me this 11th day of July 1919.

JOHN A. vs iiis. 

